Seeing He Rui using economics in the debate again, Okamura Yasuji was obviously disgruntled but didn't know how to argue. Obata Toshishirō, who hadn't participated in the discussion until now, took over the debate and asked rhetorically, "He-kun describes international politics in his book, pointing out that the international arena is a state of jungle anarchy. Listening to what you just said, do you intend to use benevolence and righteousness to solve matters between nations? If Japan occupying Manchuria and Mongolia is not enough, and Japan occupies the whole of China, can the Chinese people refuse to buy Japanese goods?"

These words were quite unfriendly, but He Rui was amused. Obata Toshishirō was not the first person to say these words to He Rui's face.

Seeing He Rui laugh, Tōjō Hideki asked in a severe tone, "Why is He-kun laughing?"

"When the Great Way is abandoned, there are benevolence and righteousness. More than 2,500 years ago, Laozi said this in the *Tao Te Ching*. Japan is deeply influenced by Chinese culture; how come more than 2,500 years later, you still say such things?"

Looking at the Japanese young officers with various expressions, He Rui said solemnly, "More than 2,500 years ago, Laozi understood that the Way of Heaven is to take from what has in excess in order to make up for what is deficient. The Way of Man is to take from what is deficient in order to offer to what has in excess. Human civilization, whether in Western Europe or East Asia, must follow the laws of civilizational development. Currently, all countries consistently pursue the efficiency of industrial development while ignoring the rules of social feedback and distribution. Therefore, every twenty or thirty years, there must be a great war or an economic crisis; this matter is ultimately insoluble. The Great Powers frantically expand their colonies, expand the sources of raw materials and controllable sales markets. They look arrogant, but in reality, like a person drinking water, they know whether it is cold or warm. However, they have to go through the cycle of order and chaos again and again. This is fundamentally not a war problem, but a fundamental problem of production and distribution. If the problem of production and distribution is not solved, a great war will inevitably rise again every thirty or fifty years. As long as we do not step out of this vicious circle, neither Japan nor China can talk about any possibility of a wealthy country and strong people."

Tōjō Hideki sneered, "Then in He-kun's opinion, what should my Great Japanese Empire do?"

"Truly assist China in liberating and developing productive forces, export industrial and agricultural production technologies, help China develop education, increase the income levels of the people of both China and Japan, and realize true demand expansion. Furthermore, attempt to establish a preliminary trade cycle between China and Japan, backed by the industrial and agricultural productivity of both countries, to resist the price scissors of industrial products from the European and American powers, and achieve a virtuous cycle of production and distribution domestically. If this is done, in just twenty or thirty years, both China and Japan will inevitably have advanced technology, strong military power, and wealthy nationals, leaving the European powers to sigh at the ocean!"

Hearing this, many young Japanese soldiers had already frowned. Tōjō Hideki mocked, "China now has concessions everywhere, the people are numb and insensitive, and there isn't even a tariff. How can you teach my Great Japanese Empire to assist? Could it be that the wealth painstakingly accumulated by the Empire should be thrown into the flowing water for nothing?"

"I fully understand what Tōjō-kun means. It is nothing more than imitating the old wisdom of Britain, taking Japan as England, Indianizing the Chinese continent, dividing and ruling it, weakening and occupying it." He Rui had to lower the tone of the debate and use cases that Tōjō Hideki could understand to admonish him. "Student Tōjō, please ponder the East India Company yearbook and British history more in your spare time. China and India are different. India is not a complete civilization, nor can it even be counted as a country. The so-called India is just a continental geographical term."

After speaking to Tōjō Hideki, He Rui looked at Okamura Yasuji again. "What Senior Okamura plans looks magnificent and very bold, but in reality, it is just picking up others' spittle and carving a boat to seek a sword."

Okamura Yasuji's face tightened, but he remained calm. Tōjō Hideki, however, said with some embarrassment and anger, "The Empire's strategy is the most practical. It relies on the unity and hard service of tens of millions of nationals. Japan's path was walked out step by step under the call of His Majesty the Emperor; it cannot be slandered by He-kun's few words of inflammatory rhetoric. Right now, China is torn apart and its national power is declining. we cannot just leave the broad road in front of us and go to mix with your China to drag down our national power, can we?"

He Rui nodded and stood up quietly. As a big man from Shandong, He Rui was more than half a head taller than most young Japanese soldiers. Amidst the upward gazes of the group of young Japanese soldiers, He Rui said loudly, "There is indeed this risk, so I shall attempt to find a way out for my China, just like the Genrō of the Meiji era in Japan, allowing the numb Japan to move towards the new Japan of Meiji. I will practice this path; you gentlemen can just watch."

After speaking, He Rui bowed slightly. "Gentlemen, I bid you farewell here. We will meet again in the future."

The young officers returned the salute in unison. "We wish He-kun a smooth journey."

After saying goodbye, He Rui took his schoolbag and walked towards the outside of the school. Ishiwara Kanji followed behind to see him off. After walking for a while, Ishiwara Kanji whispered, "Sensei, those idiots are full of Oda, Mōri, and the like. They look at the world situation as if it were still four hundred years ago. There is indeed nothing to talk about with them."

He Rui shook his head. "Not necessarily. The youth of Japan are very precious. They are the essence cultivated by the Meiji Restoration education system and the most precious property of East Asian civilization at present. These youths are like military swords. If used in the right place, they will naturally be invincible. If they submit to wrong ideas, they will only harm others and themselves. Some people are indeed incurable, but more people should still be tried to be pulled back."

"Yes," Ishiwara Kanji responded.

He Rui knew that Ishiwara Kanji was a scholar-type figure. In the disciplined military academy, students buried their heads in hard study, but Ishiwara Kanji spent basically all his spare time on "idle books" unrelated to exams. He often had whimsical ideas on weekdays and seemed a bit different among the fanatical army officers. He was a famous eccentric in the army.

Walking to the school gate, He Rui stopped. "I am returning to my country this time. The education of Japan's youth is left to you, Ishiwara-kun. Please place importance on the great plan of the survival of East Asian civilization, establish organizations, and educate the youth. In this extraordinary time, if the youth do not awaken, within twenty years, China and Japan will inevitably become a sea of blood, and the opportunity to glorify East Asian civilization will have to wait at least a hundred years!"

Ishiwara Kanji's face was solemn, and he bowed deeply. "I am unruly and have rarely submitted to anyone, but Sensei's teachings are engraved in my heart. Although the current Japan is growing in national power, there are many running dogs of the clans and zaibatsu who bewitch the minds of the nationals. Many young officers in the Army and Navy who come from the middle and lower classes are originally depressed. Teacher's thoughts are like dispelling the clouds to see the sun. In the past two years, many like-minded people have gradually opened their hearts. Please rest assured, Teacher, how can the glorious road of East Asian civilization be stopped by those idiots?"

Ishiwara was a new student at the Army War College and could not leave the school. He Rui shook hands with him at the school gate to part ways.

The streets of Tokyo were much livelier than last year. There were people wearing traditional Japanese kimonos everywhere, and the sound of wooden clogs hitting the ground converged into a sound that could only be heard in Japan.

British Victorian-style gas lamps had been erected on the street at the entrance of the Army War College. Continuing forward, a more Japanese-style market atmosphere unfolded before He Rui.